Seventh South Pacific Regional Idndr Disaster Management Meeting
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SEVENTH SOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL IDNDR DISASTER MANAGEMENT MEETING Record of Meeting NADI, FIJI 23-25 September 1998 INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION SEVENTH SOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL IDNDR DISASTER MANAGEMENT MEETING TANOA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL NADI, FIJI 23-25 September 1998 Record of Meeting Jointly sponsored by the Australian IDNDR Co-ordination Committee, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the United Nations Disaster Management Program - South Pacific Office (UNDMP-SPO) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), with support from Emergency Management Australia (EMA) and the Queensland Department of Emergency Services. 2 5 SEVENTH SOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL IDNDR DISASTER MANAGEMENT MEETING Nadi, Fiji RECORD OF MEETING (23-25 SEPTEMBER 1998) OPENING CEREMONY The official opening ceremony for the Seventh South Pacific Regional IDNDR Disaster Management Meeting was held at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji, on the 23 September 1998. Mr. Jone Bolaitamana, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Fiji Ministry of Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, acted as master of ceremonies and introduced special guests. Mr. Alan Hodges, Chair of the Australian IDNDR Co-ordination Committee and Director General of Emergency Management Australia (EMA), have opening comments. He mentioned the special significance of these Meetings, and reflected on how they show the increasing maturity of disaster management in the region. He also remarked that it is a privilege for the Australian IDNDR program to be involved, and hoped to continue that involvement to the end of the International Decade. Mr. Shahrokh Mohammadi, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative, Suva, also gave opening comments. He reminded delegates of the genesis of the UN South Pacific Disaster Reduction Programme (SPDRP) in 1994, and broadly outlined its achievements. He remarked that the 1998 Terminal Evaluation of the SPDRP had noted its achievements and recommended that its work needed to continue. He stated that UNDP is committed to supporting the continuance of SPDRP work. Mr. Franc esco Pisano, Secretary, IDNDR Scientific and Technical Committee, Geneva, delivered the keynote address for Mr. Philippe Boulle, Director of the Secretariat for the IDNDR, Geneva. He referred to the IDNDR success in promoting a global recognition that vulnerability reduction is possible, and that there was a large amount of work involved in achieving this. He spoke of the need to continue IDNDR initiatives beyond the Decade. He also stated that the UN is currently looking closely at measures to assess the progress of the IDNDR and to consolidate its achievements. The late Hon. Mesake E. Baisagale, Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, officially opened the Meeting. He stated that the IDNDR brought new dimensions to disaster management concepts in Fiji, and gave particular emphasis to the importance of training. He also mentioned that Fiji, like other countries of the region, still needed technical assistance and funding in its disaster management development efforts. The Minister also described the dimensions of the tragedy in Fiji caused by the current drought. 6 SESSION ONE CONFERENCE FORMALITIES 1.1 Appointment of Chairperson The outgoing Chair from the Sixth South Pacific Regional IDNDR Disaster Management Meeting, Mr. Alan Hodges of Australia, called the Meeting to order and asked for nominations for a new chairperson. The Meeting invited Mr. Josefa Serulagilagi (Permanent Secretary of the Fiji Ministry of Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs) as chairperson. Mr. Serulagilagi thanked the outgoing Chair, on behalf of the Meeting, for his efforts in chairing the previous Meeting. 1.2 Review of Recommendations and Action from the 1997 Meeting Report The Chair invited Mr. Phil Stenchion of EMA to assist the Meeting in reviewing the Sixth IDNDR Meeting recommendations. The recommendations were reviewed as follows: 1. The Meeting agreed to amend the Regional Disaster Management Sub-Committee’s TOR and requested that SOPAC work with the Sub-Committee on how SOPAC could undertake its co- ordinating role. The Director of SOPAC, Mr. Alf Simpson, informed delegates that this had been actioned and that the results would become clear during the Meeting, as SOPAC will outline its disaster management mandate. 2. The Meeting agreed on the need to establish a close working relationship between the Regional IDNDR Meeting and the SOPAC Governing Council, possibly as a Technical Advisory Group, and to co-ordinate timing of meetings and representation. Mr. Simpson informed delegates that this issue would also be discussed later during the Meeting. 3. The Meeting passed a resolution for submission to the SOPAC Governing Council Meeting on the regional co-ordination of disaster management activities, noting comments outlined in the Meeting. Mr. Simpson informed delegates that this issue would also be discussed later during the Meeting. 4. The Meeting endorsed in principle the four components of the SPDRP project document as broad priorities identified by member countries for advice to donors, noting amendments, guiding principles for implementation, and unresolved issues as outlined in the Meeting report. Mr. Joseph Chung, Chief Technical Advisor for the SPDRP, informed delegates that the Proposal for a Long-Term Disaster Management Framework for the South Pacific Region and country priorities had been used in designing SPDRP-Phase II. 5. The Meeting agreed that each country would provide a list of priorities to UNDHA-SPPO to assist in the revision of the project document, recognising that countries have their own national priorities. 7 Mr. Chung informed delegates that this had been actioned. 6. The Meeting agreed that UNDHA-SPPO would co-ordinate redrafting of the project document for submission to UNDP and other donors by the end of October 1997, noting comments in the Meeting report. Mr. Chung informed delegates that this had been actioned. 7. The Meeting agreed to invite the Prime Minister of Tuvalu to act as chief advocate and that UNDHA-SPPO could establish administrative arrangements to support the Prime Minister in this role. Mr. Chung informed delegates that this is still to be actioned. 8. The Meeting agreed that a regional co-ordination unit could play an important role in disseminating information on dates and agenda of relevant meetings where formal channels were ineffective. This recommendation required no action. 9. The Meeting endorsed the proposed area of emphasis and consultant’s recommendations for Disaster Management Information Systems in the South Pacific region. This recommendation required no action. 10. The Meeting endorsed recommendations that countries undertake program management skills training and appealed to donors to fund this training as a protection of their investment in the SPDRP-Phase II. Ms. Joanne Burke, Field Adviser for USAID/OFDA, informed delegates that this had not yet proceeded, and that there is now some doubt of the need. 11. The Meeting agreed that a forum for NDMOs be held to facilitate input to SPDRP -Phase II. Mr. Chung informed delegates that NDMOs had provided sufficient input to the SPDRP -Phase II since the previous Meeting. 12. The Meeting agreed that PIC delegates report back to their respective countries on concerns about the future of the program if funding was to be available due to SOPAC's involvement. Delegates were informed that the events of the last year had removed these concerns. 13. The Meeting proposed that in future years a drafting committee be set up to facilitate the drafting of a summary record for tabling before the close of the Meeting. Mr. Russell Howorth of SOPAC outlined for delegates the arrangements for producing a summary record and invited delegates to contribute to the arrangements if they felt it necessary. Delegates were satisfied that the outlined arrangements would meet the requirement. 8 14. The Meeting accepted the Samoan representative’s offer to host the Seventh IDNDR Meeting pending formal approval from Cabinet and the Fiji representative’s offer of Fiji as an alternative location. This recommendation required no further action. 1.3 Adoption of the 1997 Meeting Report The Meeting agreed that the report, as circulated, was an accurate record of the Sixth South Pacific Regional IDNDR Disaster Management Meeting. 1.4 Introduction and Adoption of 1998 Meeting Agenda Mr. Atu Kaloumaira of the SPDRP introduced the meeting agenda and outlined its’ structure. The Meeting agreed to the agenda. SESSION TWO PRESENTATIONS BY SPDRP PARTNER ORGANISATIONS 2.1 Presentation by Mr. Alf Simpson, Director, SOPAC Mr. Simpson made a presentation on the future of SPDRP within SOPAC. He commented that he was hopeful that his remarks would allay any concerns held by delegates over the new arrangements for SPDRP -Pha se II. He noted that disaster management is only one of ten focus areas within SOPAC, although a key area. He remarked that the next few months or more would be a transition period as the transfer arrangements were further developed. He discussed the possible future role of meetings such as the current Regional IDNDR Meetings once the Decade had finished, and outlined the useful role that Technical Advisory Groups (TAG) played within SOPAC. Mr. Simpson invited delegates to consider by the end of the Meeting whether they saw these meetings becoming a TAG, adding that he believed there